Shoppers are being left in “parcel purgatory,” as uncertain delivery windows, late parcels and poor post-purchase communications force customers to plan working days around online order fulfilment, says new research from returns network, ZigZag.

Original research of 2,000 UK consumers found that 43% take time off work or rearrange their days to wait in for deliveries every month, amounting to ~32 hours of lost time annually or four full working days. Of these orders, its poll suggests that over a fifth (22%) either arrive late or simply don’t arrive at all. 

“Waiting in for a delivery is up there with the most frustrating disruptions to daily life and consumers are now spending longer waiting for parcels than they do dealing with customer service lines,” said ZigZag’s CEO, Al Gerrie. “Late deliveries also lead to higher return rates, which drive up costs for businesses and breed frustrations that retailers can’t afford.”

The report also uncovered friction with post-purchase engagement, which impacts a significant proportion of orders. Communication was found to fall short of shopper expectations for 1 in 5 online purchases (21%), representing an estimated £23.5billion in order value.

The consequences for retailers failing to meet post-purchase demands are significant: 62% of consumers would stop shopping with a brand after poor delivery experiences. 

“Ecommerce has reached an inflection point, where growth has slowed and attracting new customers is more costly than maintaining a loyal base,” Gerrie added. “In this environment, the biggest battleground comes after the point of purchase.”

“With shoppers cautious about spending, making a positive impression once an item has been bought is the difference between losing a customer at the final hurdle and building the loyalty needed for growth.”

Shoppers increasing hold high expectations for post-purchase and delivery issue resolution; 95% expect delivery or returns issues to be flagged within 24 hours, while 42% prefer instant refunds.

At the same time, consumers are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty after purchase, with Baby Boomers prioritising predictability, transparency and reassurance, while Gen Z is less tolerant to communications that aren’t immediately relevant after they checkout.